The Mountain Between Us

Chapter 21.

You shot out of your seat, bursting out onto the verandah. Your heart was thudding heavily in your chest, loud in your ears as adrenaline coursed through your body.

Please don't be Tom. Please don't be Tom. Please don't be Tom.

As you tore around the verandah and into the yard, bathed in moonlight you saw the hunched shadow of Father struggling to reload his gun. Unthinking, you stormed up behind him and shoved him hard, sending him sprawling into the dirt.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" you screamed. Father stared up at you, shocked, the gun discarded. You grabbed it, the iron hot beneath your hands as you stood over Father.  "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" you repeated, your voice hysterical as you clutched the gun to your chest.

Still Father said nothing, gazing at you in disbelief.

"Claire, what's happened?" Aunt Rosemary asked as she ran to join you, skirts gathered in her hands. She gasped when she saw Father's crumpled form on the ground with you glowering over him, fury rippling off you.

"I hate you" you muttered fiercely, picking up your skirts and turning to see what, or who, Father had shot. 

Fortunately, you couldn't see any sign of Tom or Spur, and felt relief wash over you. But your heart grew cold as you saw that Regard's pen was open, the gate unlatched. You looked over at the stationhands quarters to see Moss shaking his head, looking bewildered and a little frightened.

"Where's Regard?" you shouted at him, looking back to see Aunt Rosemary helping Father up. 

Something about seeing Father leaning on Aunt Rosemary, yet again relying on her but never thanking her for anything, infuriated you. It felt like the cord that had kept you attached to Father, out of loyalty or stupidity, had suddenly snapped and you stormed back to them, jamming the barrel of the gun underneath Father's chin, the butt resting snugly in your shoulder. Aunt Rosemary made a small noise of fear, but Father held your gaze steadily. You thought you even saw the hint of a smile. 

"Where's Regard?" you repeated, voice low. 

"Why don't you ask your mountain boy?" Father replied. You pressed the gun deeper into his neck, glowering at him. "Would you really shoot me?" he asked softly, voice curious as he studied your face.

"Without a doubt. And unlike you, I never miss"

Father chuckled, the sound strange given the circumstances. "Yes, I think you're right. I came out here to -"

"Shoot Tom. Or Spur. Or both" you interrupted, still holding the gun up to his throat, despite the ache in your arms.

Father smiled thinly. "Maybe. But when I came out, I saw that Regard's pen was unlocked and Regard long gone. That boy of yours set my horse free and then ran away. I know it. You can't trust mountain people, Claire, they're - "

"So why shoot the gun if Tom wasn't around?" you interrupted again, not believing him. 

Father shrugged. "Maybe I hoped to scare him off. I'm not going to lose you to some no-good penniless boy"

You slowly removed the gun from under his chin, Aunt Rosemary sighing with relief, still supporting Father's weight. As you stared at Father you realised what had happened. He'd come out here, probably with every intention of shooting Tom or Spur, and instead found nothing. Somehow he'd come to the conclusion to release Regard and planned to blame the loss of the colt on Tom. The shot you'd heard had most likely been fired to scare Regard off. For the first time in your life you saw Father for what he was; an insecure, frightened man who would do anything to keep what he believed was his. Including you.

You sneered at him, holding the gun casually by your side as you felt a weight lift from your shoulders in the wake of your realisation. "You lost me long ago" you said calmly, turning and walking back to the house.

You went to your bedroom, locking the door and propping the gun against the dresser. You quickly began to pack, choosing clothes that you knew would be warmer and hardier for mountain life. You were happy to leave behind all the frills and lace, filled with anticipation as you thought about your new life with Tom when there was a soft knock at the door. You grabbed the gun, holding it across your body. 

"Who is it?"

"It's me" came Aunt Rosemary's voice.

You crossed the room and unlocked the door, ushering her inside and locking it again once she was in the room. Her eyes went straight to your bag and back to you.

"Yes?" you asked contemptuously, preparing yourself to argue with her, even though you were loathe to.

"Matilda wanted you to have this. Asked me to give it to you when I thought you were ready. It was the last thing she said to me, before she died"

In her hands, Aunt Rosemary held a small, delicate ring. It was silver, the band woven around itself like a rope. There was no diamond or jewel, just the band. On the inside of the band was a small inscription in Latin; "Amor Vincit Omnia".

"Love conquers all" you murmured softly, turning the band over in your fingers..

"It was the wedding band Spur would've given her, had he succeeded in striking gold. He had made it himself and gave it to her anyway. Your Father gave her a beautiful sapphire ring, but this was her favourite. I don't know what happened to her sapphire ring, but I kept this one safe, just as she asked me to..."

Aunt Rosemary's voice trailed off and you looked up at her to see tears shimmering in her eyes as she looked at you. You embraced her, holding onto her tightly.

"Thank you Aunt Rosemary. It's beautiful, more precious than any jewel. I'll take good care of it, promise"

Aunt Rosemary patted your back and you released her. She smiled, delicately wiping her eyes dry. "I know you must leave, but wait until morning at least" she said morosely.

You nodded. "For you. But as soon as it's light, I'm gone"

Aunt Rosemary nodded in agreement. "Write me, when you can"

"I will"